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General Sewing Instructions

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Preshrinking the fabric

When you buy your fabric, ask how much it will shrink when washed. In all cases, when the fabric is washable and when you are not sure that the fabric won't shrink, it is safe to wash and iron it before cutting. Don't forget to preshrink

lining as well.

HINT : If you do not want to preshrink the fabric you can check the amount the fabric shrinks horizontally and vertically by wetting and

ironing a small piece of it and resize your patterns accordingly using the PatternMaker editing tools.

To get instructions of how to calculate the needed scaling factor, refer to the sewing instructions for women's lingerie. Scaling

patterns is a frequent task for garments sewn of elas tic fabrics.

Cutting the pattern pieces

Cut pattern pieces on folded fabric, right side of the fabric folded inwards. Make the necessary marks on the fabric with chalk or pencil.

If the fabric is plaid, striped or checkered, align the hem lines at the same point on the repeating pattern. For sleeves,the repeating pattern should match where the bottom of the armscye and bottom of sleeve cap meet. Vertical

centerline of sleeve should be placed at a vertical stripe or at center of a plaid square. Jacket, blouse and dress front

center should be placed the same way.

Transfer notch marks from your pattern to the fabric by cutting snips (depth 0.5 mm /1/8") into seam allowances.

When joining garment pieces, place corresponding notch marks in the two pieces together.

HINT: If the fabric is slippery spread out newspaper between the fabric and the table. It will keep the fabric in place when you cut the

garment pieces from it. Be sure not to let the printing ink from the newspaper to stain your fabric. If this would be the case use another

paper.

HINT : Do not use pins to attach the patterns to the fabric. Use Scotch tape in stead. Position the tape pieces half on the fabric and half on

the patterns where you want to and cut through the tapes. Normally you do not have to remove the tape pieces after cutting, the pieces

which are on the patterns do not hurt them and the pieces on the fabric are outside the garment pieces.

Interfacing





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Cut and iron interfacing to under collars, facings, waist bands, slit facings, blouse and shirt button extensions andsleeve cuffs. Using interfacing at jacket's hem seam allowance makes get a neat hem.

If you sew a patch pocket and don't line it, attach interfacing to it also.

Always trim interfacing to eliminate the seam allowances

Cutting the lining

Cut lining along with garment patterns without space for facings (but remember to add seam allowances) and hem

seam allowances. Do not cut lining for collars. Lining fabric usually is not as elastic as garment fabric, so cut it with

about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) wider seam allowances than for the garment pieces.

Basting

Use the longest possible machine stitches for basting. It is quick and the stitches can easily be removed.

HINT : In some cases you can use two-sided fusible interfacing for basting purposes. If you need to keep two garment pieces on top of

each other and prevent them from shifting when you sew - like pocket on the garment, put small pieces of two-sided fusible interfacing

under the pocket piece and iron the pocket lightly. After you have sewn the pocket in place, remove the interfacing between the pocket and

the garment.

Finishing the garment

You will get the best result if you always press seams and darts as you sew. First iron seams or darts flat withoutturning them to either direction. Then press them towards center, side seam towards front. Two-piece sleeve seams

are both pressed towards shoulder mark. Use a steam iron. If you press seams from right side of the fabric, usepressing cloth if necessary.

Edgestitching gives a well-finished look to garment, but only if it is straight and even. Long stitches of 1/4 inch (4-5mm) look best in edgestitching. Sew edgestitching only after you have ironed the seam.








To tame facings at garment edges use technique understitching. It prevents the seamlines from showing on theoutside of the garment and keep the seam allowances in the desired position. Refer to explanations of used

terminology at the end of these instructions.

Bound edge

Here is an easy way to sew a professional looking bound edges to neck openings, sleeve

cuffs and hems of casual garments as well as to lingerie and outdoor garments. In the exampleillustrated here the edging is sewn to the neck opening of a sweater

Cut a strip of fabric 4 times as wide as the desired finished width of the edging and

approximately as long as the edge to which it is to be connected. In the picture the finished widthof the edging is 1 cm. So the width of the fabric strip in this case is 4 cm.

Fold the fabric strip lengthwise in two, wrong side inside, and iron. Sew

it to the wrong side of the neck opening raw edges matching. Stretchthe edging a bit when sewing.

Start sewing 5 cm from the CB of the neck opening and leave another 1 cm of edging free

(for the CB seam of the edging). Stop sewing 5 cm from the CB of the neckline and leave 1

cm for seam allowance. Sew the CB seam of the edging. Fold the edging in two at the CBof the neck as elsewhere and sew the rest of the connection seam.

Trim seam allowance to half. Open the seam well by iron the edgingand the seam allowances away from each other. Turn the edging

around the edge to the right side of the garment along the stitch line.

Be sure not to leave the stitch line visible at the right side of thegarment. Edgestitch along the folded edge. Sew slowly. Only even

edgings with straight stitch lines are neat.

If you find it difficult to sew such a narrow edging - especially if your








fabric is thick - you can try cutting the fabric strip a bit wider, forinstance 6 times of the desired finished width of the edging (in the

example garment it would be 6 cm. It is easier to turn a wider edging

around the edge and the connection seam can be left well inside of

the garment. In the sample garment the fabric strip for the edging at the neck opening is 4 cm and at the sleeve cuffs6 cm.

Attaching zipper to pants or skirt

Sew seam to the point where zipper begins and continue zipper's full length with basting (picture 1). Press the seam

open. Remove basting stitches. Mark front (or back) centerline with basting.

Fold one seam allowance of zipper placket at about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) distance from front (or back) centerline)

(picture 2a). Sew one zipper edge under the extended seam allowance (picture 2b).

Close zipper placket temporarily with pins on right sideof garment (picture 3).

On wrong side pin other zipper edge flat on seam

allowance (picture 4). Make certain that the zipper is

straight and lies flat at an even distance from edges ofseam allowance.

Remove pins from right side. Sew from wrong sidethrough all thicknesses, across bottom (picture 4) and up

the pinned edge of zipper near zipper teeth.








If you want to, you can sew a second row of stitches one presser foot's distance from the first one picture 5). If you

are making jeans or other pants that need to be very strong, strengthen bottom of zipper placket with tight zigzag(barrack) on right side.

If you want to create a LESS NOTICEABLE ZIPPER PLACKET, sew zipper directly onto garment seam, placing

zipper upside down on a basted seam on wrong side of garment. The distance between the seam and the zipperstitching is the width of the presser foot. Basting is removed after sewing. This kind of a zipper is good for a dress

back seam and is also widely used in skirts.

Attaching waistband to skirt or pants








Overlock edges of waistband. Fold waistband lengthwise, right side in and press. Unfold waistband and sew its onehorizontal edge to garment, right sides together (Picture 1). Space for button and buttonhole extends beyond center

front mark at each end of the band. Garment's waist should always be slightly larger than waistband. Easestitchgarment waist to fit waistband.

Fold waistband lengthwise, right side in, and sew across one end (buttonhole end) and the distance for buttonhole(distance between arrows in Picture 2). Trim corners and turn waistband right side out.

Press seam allowance upwards (it will be inside waistband when finished). Turn the buttonhole end of the waist bandright side out. Fold seam allowance of the other end of the waistband in about 5 cm / 2" from end (Picture 3). Leave

rest of waistband seam allowance flat. Stitch on ditch on the right side of garment. Sew buttonhole starting from CB

mark of the pattern. Sew on button.

Sewing back slit to skirt or dress








Overlock back center seam. Baste seam for zipper (Picture 1a), sew back center seam between zipper and slit, and

baste folding line for slit (Picture 1b). Press seam open. Cut seam allowance diagonally at upper end of slit (Picture

2).

Fold vertical seam allowance of one half of slit inside, and edgestitch (Picture 3). Press flat (Picture 4). Fold other

half of slit (along right side of back centerline) inwards and sew across bottom at hemline (Picture 5).

Turn slit out to its correct position. Strengthen top of slit with horizontal or diagonal stitch line thorough all thicknesses

on right side (Picture 6).







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Cut an opening for the back slit at the back hem of the lining as in picture 7.

Sewing a button placket

Iron interfacing to vertical half of the wrong side of the button placket.

Turn the front edge seam allowance of the placket of the right front piece in

and baste ( Picture 1a ). Overlock the front and the bottom edges of theplacket of the left front piece.

Put garment front pieces on top of each other right sides together and sew the

front CF seam from hem to where the button placket begins Picture 1b ).

Fold the button placket of the right front piece along the fold line marked on the

patterns right side in and sew the across the bottom edge from the fold to the

center front . Cut seam allowance diagonally. ( Picture 2 ) Pin the top edgeof the button placket. Fold the placket of the left front piece along the fold line

right side inside. Pin the top of the placket.

Iron interfacing to the wrong side of the neck facing and sew the shoulder seams of

the facing.

Place the neck facing to the neck opening on top of the button placket. Sew the neck

facing to the neck opening with distance of seam allowance from the edge. Cut clipsto the round parts of the seam allowances. Understitch through the facing and theseam allowance.

Turn button placket right side out and sew along the basted placket seam allowance.Place the button placket of the right front piece on top of the button placket of the left

front piece (the left front piece is inside the garment). Sew across the bottom of the

button placket on the right side of the garment. ( Picture 3 )







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Fasten buttons and sew button holes.

Sewing a shirt collar with stand

Fold the seam allowances of the button extensions to wrong side and iron. Fold button plackets right side against

right side along the fold line marked in the patterns and sew along bottom ends.

Turn button extensions right side out. Iron and sew along folded seam allowances

(Picture 1).

Iron interfacing to both collar and collar stand pieces (Picture 2a).

Sew round the collar, cut corners of seam allowances and turn the collar right side out. Iron and edgestitch along the

outer edge of the collar (Picture 2b).







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Fold seam allowance of one collar stand to the wrong side, baste andiron. Sandwich collar between the collar stand pieces raw edges matching

and sew through all thicknesses (Picture 3). Cut the corners of the seam

allowance and turn the collar to its right position (Picture 4). Iron.

Place the right side of the collar stand (with the unfolded seam allowance)

against the wrong side of the blouse neck and attach the collar to theblouse neck opening. Turn seam allowances inside the collar. Pin the

other edge of the collar stand (with the folded seam allowance) to i ts final

position and sew near edge of the folded seam allowance.

Sew buttons and buttonholes on the CF-line of the button extension and

the collar stand.

Another technique

Another way to attach the collar is described in the drawing to the left

(Picture 5).

Fold the button extension of the blouse right side against right side. Unlike

in the instructions above, do not fold the seam allowance of the collar stand.Sandwich collar between the folded button extension and the blouse . Sew

the collar stand to the neck opening of the blouse. Overlock the seam

allowance with seamster or with zigzag.

Stitch button extensions across bottom edges. Turn button extensions and collar out and sew along folded seam

allowance edge.

This technique of sewing the collar to the neck opening is not as neat as when sewing the seam allowance inside the

seam. Usually the inside of the garment neck is, however, not in sight, so it does not matter.







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Sew buttons and buttonholes on the CF-line of the button extension and the collar stand.

A third technique worth while trying

Fold and sew button extension according to above instructions.

Prepare the collar and sandwich it inside the collar stand pieces as

above. Leave raw edges of collar stand flat. Place right side of thecollar stand to the wrong side of the neckline raw edges even. Sew

along the neckline (Picture 6a).

Fold collar stand pieces right side against right side encasing collar

and neckline edge inside. Sew along raw edges for distance of about 2.5-5 cm / 1-2" from the end of the collar stand(Picture 6b).

Trim seam allowance to reduce bulk at the end of the collar stand. Then turn the collar and the collar stand right sideout. Fold the rest of the seam allowance of the collar stand in and topstitch along the outer edge of the collar stand.

Sewing and attaching a blouse collar

For the collar, cut 2 pieces of fabric and 1 piece of

interfacing. Iron interfacing to under collar. The

under collar piece is on the inside, hidden by theupper piece, when the garment is completed.

Fold button placket inwards along fold line and sewalong bottom and top ends from fold line to front

center. Cut seam allowances diagonally at point where seam ends, so that button placket can be turned right side

out.

Turn bottom seam allowance of under collar inside, baste and iron (Picture, a). Place collar pieces with right sides






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together and sew along edges (Picture, b).Trim seam allowances and cut corners. Turn right side out. Sew rawedge of upper collar to shell's neck from front center to front center, collar's right side against blouse's wring side.

Press seam allowance upwards and pin basted edge of under collar on top of previous seam. Sew. Edgestitch if

wanted.

Sewing and attaching a hood

The hood piece in the pattern makes one half of the hood. Cut 4 pieces, 2 of garment fabric and 2 of lining fabric.The lining pieces can also be of same or similar fabric, if desired.

The openings for the drawstring are sewn like small buttonholes at right side of hood 3/4 inch (2 cm) from front edgeand 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) from bottom edge (Picture 1a ). To strengthen button holes, iron interfacing to wrong side of

fabric before sewing button holes.

Sew both outer pieces together, right sides together (Picture 1b). Do the same with the lining pieces. Snip the seam

allowance along the curved section at back of hood at intervals of about 3/4 inch or 2 cm (Picture 2).

Turn neck seam allowance of hood lining inwards and baste. Place lining and hood right sides together and sew

along front edges (Picture 3 ). Turn hood right side out.

Sew hood to neck of shell,right sides together, from center front to center front. Press seam upwards and pin the

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basted edge of hood lining onto seam. Sew near edge.

Sew a 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide tube for strings at front edge (Picture 4).

Sewing and attaching cuffs to sleeves

Iron interfacing on sleeve cuffs. Fold seam allowance to the wrong side

at one long edge of the cuff. Baste and iron. Fold the cuff pieces

horizontally into two. Sew along short edges. Cut corners of the seam allowances and turn the cuffs right sides out.Iron.

Fold in seam allowance of one long edge of sleeve cuff and baste (Picture 1).

Fold cuffs horizontally in two, right sides inside, and sew along ends

(Picture 2 ). Note that seam allowance of one edge has been foldedin, but the other is unfolded, so the edges don't meet. Cut seam

allowance diagonally at corners and turn cuffs right side out.






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Cut slits at ends of sleeves and overlock edges. Turn seamallowances inside and edgestitch on right side (Picture 3). Fold slit

with right side inside and sew a small triangle at the bottom of the

slit (Picture 4).

Fold ease of sleeve ends into soft pleats near split. Sew raw edges

of cuffs to sleeve ends with right side of cuff against wrong side of

sleeve. Turn seam allowance inside cuffs and press. Pin bastededge of cuff onto previous seam and edgestitch from right side.

Sew buttonholes. Sew on buttons.

Another technique: sewing a bound slit

Bound slit is best suited to sleeve hems but it can also be used to sew a slit to front or back neck opening, or to side

slits of tunic hem.

Mark the height of the slit to the wrong side of the garment with pencil (Picture 1 a and b). Machine baste along the

lines to transfer the markings to the right side of the garment







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lines to transfer the markings to the right side of the garment.

Cut two bias strips of fabric three times as wide as you want the binding strips of the slit to be. Place them on both

sides of the machine basted line right side under to the right side of the garment 0.3 cm / 1/8" from the line (Picture2).

Sew 0.7 cm / 1/4" from the basted vertical line (Picture 2, c-d and e-f).

Cut an opening along the basted line (Picture 3g) and diagonally at the corners (Picture 3h and i). Be careful not to

cut the binding strips.

Press the binding strips and the seam allowances toward the slit. Turn 1/3 of the long edges of the binding strips inand wrap the bindings around the raw edges of the slit (Picture 4).

Fold back the wrong side of the garment to expose the triangle at the end of the slit opening and sew across the endto the slit catching both binding strips (Picture 5j-k).

Do final ironing and attach cuffs or collar or whatever you need to attach to this place of your garment.







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Third sewing technique: cuff placket with overlap (shirt placket)

Shirt placket is finished with two separate pieces of fabric to create a wider lap.

First construct the underlap. Cut a 8 x 10 cm piece of fabric (picture 1). Fold the piece

into two as in the picture, right side out. Fold one vertical seam allowance (1 cm) in

and press (picture 2).

Then make the overlap. Cut 8 x 10 cm piece fabric (picture 3). Fold the piece into two

wrong side out. Sew along top as in picture 4. Trim seam allowance and turn overlapright side out. Fold one vertical seam allowance (1 cm) in and press.

Mark placket on the right side of the sleeve cuff (picture 6).








Pin underlap on the left side of marked placket and overlap on the right side of the placket as in picture 7. Edges

meet at the center of the placket. Sew along the marked vertical sides of the placket, stop at corners.

Cut along the center of the placket and vertically at the top corners as in picture 8. Fold and press seam allowances

inside underlap and overlap and the top triangular piece to the wrong side of the sleeve upwards.

Fold laps to right position, underlap to the wrong side of the sleeve cuff and overlap to the right side of the sleeve cuff

and edgestitch laps from the right side (picture 9). Topstitch the top part of the overlap through all thicknesses

S i k t








Sewing pockets

There are darts at the upper part of the pocket bag and lining of pants. There

are similar darts at the pants' waist.

HINT : If wanted, the darts can be moved from the top to the bottom of the pocket pieces. Cut the

pocket patterns vertically from the dart apex to and across the bottom edge of the pocket pieces (

picture, a) and pivot the pieces to close the darts at the top edge of the pockets (picture, b) and to

open them at the bottom edge of the pockets.

Patch pockets

Cut the pocket pieces according to Picture 1: Pocket height is marked inthe picture. Add 5 cm/2" of height to the pocket pattern for self-facing and

iron interfacing to it as in the picture. This part of the pocket top will beturned inside when the pocket is complete. If the fabric is very thin or elastic,iron interfacing to wrong side of whole pocket. Always trim interfacing to

eliminate the seam allowance to avoid bulk.

Cut pocket lining 10cm/4" lower than the pocket piece. Cut the lining pieces

also otherwise slightly smaller (0.3cm / 1/8") than the pocket piece so that the seams will not show when the pockets

are complete. When sewing the lining to the pocket seams, slightly stretch the lining.

Sew lining to the top of the pocket piece as in picture 2 leaving an opening

for turning the pocket (picture 2 a-b). Fold pocket and lining right sidestogether raw edges matching and sew along sides and bottom. Notch seam

allowances at intervals of about 1cm / 1/2" at the rounded curves of the

pocket and trim corners diagonally. Turn the pocket right side out and slipstitch the opening closed.

Topstitch pocket mouthat a distance of 4cm / 1 1/2" from the top edge








Topstitch pocket mouth at a distance of 4cm / 1 1/2 from the top edge(Picture 3a).

Attach the pockets to the garment.

HINT : Machine baste the pockets in place diagonally from corner to corner (Picture 3b). When sewing

the pocket to the garment push the pocket away from the seam and stitch along the edges of the lining. That way the seam does not show on the right

side when the pocket has been sewn to the garment.

Pocket with flap

NOTE: The method used here to attach flap, welt and buttonhole pockets is called

windowpane opening method. It is one of the easiest ways to sew this kind of pockets

successfully.

Cut 4 pieces of pocket flaps. Iron interfacing to two of them. Sew

flaps two and two together right sides inside along sides and

bottom edges. Notch seam allowances at intervals of about 1 cm /1/2 " at the bottom curves. Turn flaps right sides out, open seams

well, iron and edgestitch along sides and bottom.

Mark the the pocket opening to the wrong side of the garment with pen. Machinebaste along the marked lines to transfer the marking to the right side of the garment

(Picture 2 a). Iron a 5cm/2" wide strip of interfacing to the wrong side of the garment

at the pocket opening line.

Place pocket flap upside down raw edges along the pocket opening line (Picture 2

b).

Cut 2 copies of pocket bag (garment fabric) and 2 copies of pocket linings (lining








Cut 2 copies of pocket bag (garment fabric) and 2 copies of pocket linings (liningfabric) 10cm/4" wider than the pocket opening and two times as high as you want to

pocket to be. Pin pocket bag upwards right side against right side on the pocket

mouth line and the lining downwards right side against on top of the pocket flap on

the pocket mouth as in picture 3 and sew a rectangle around the pocket mouth line(Picture 3 a).

Cut through center of rectangle and diagonally at the ends(Picture 3 b). Cut only the garment fabric, do not cut the

flap.

Turn the pocket bag, the lining and the flap through the

opening to the wrong side of the garment and finger pressthe seams well. On wrong side of the garment Understitch

the seams of the opening, first the long sides and then the

short sides.

Press the rectangle area from the wrong side. Turn the pocket bag downwards edges matching the lining. Sew and

overlock sides and bottom of the pocket bag.

Turn the flap to its correct position and topstitch at width of presser foot from the top of the flap (Picture 4).

Pocket with welt

Sew pocket with welt according to instructions for pocket withflap. Place the welt, however, upside down from the pocket

opening line downwards (Picture 1a) and turn it upwards when

ready (Picture 2 ).

Buttonhole pockets (Bound pockets)

Cut two pieces of pocket bags from garment fabric and two








p p g gpieces of pocket linings from lining fabric. Mark the pocket

opening to the wrong side of the garment with pen.

Pin pocket lining on the garment (Picture 1a). Sew a rectangle

around the opening line on the wrong side. Cut through center of

rectangle and diagonally at the ends (Picture 1b ).

Turn the lining through the opening to the wrong side of the

garment and finger press the seams well. On wrong side of thegarment understitch the seams of the opening, first the long sides

and then the short sides (Picture 2).

Cut 4 pieces of pocket binding strips. Iron interfacing to the wrong

sides of them. Fold them lengthwise in two (Picture 3a) and zigzag

two and two together like in the picture (Picture 3b).

Place the binding strips under the pocket opening

rectangle and edge stitch along the edges of the

rectangle. (Picture 3c). Press the rectangle and thebinding strips from wrong side.

HINT : Try fuse-basting to keep the pocket binding strips in place when

you sew around the rectangle. Fuse-basting is explained above .

Place pocket bag under thepocket lining raw edges

matching. Sew and overlock bottom edges of the pocket (Picture 4a).Pin sides (Picture 4a)








g g p ( ) ( )and center front (Picture 4c) of the pocket. These will be attached to side and zipper seams

later. Unravel the zigzag stitches from the pocket binding strings and do the final pressing.

HINT : There is a handy device for sewing buttonhole (double welt) pockets. Clotilde's sewing notions catalog offers a

Double Welt Pocket Maker. It is fairly simple to use and with it it's easy to sew narrow and even welts for double welt

pocket. I bought mine in a Fabric shop in Seattle - the name of which I have forgotten - but as far as I remember it

correctly the price for this device was about US$ 30.

The device is sold with clear instructions.

Hip pockets

Cut the pocket corner off the pants front piece (Picture 1) Cut twopieces of pocket bags and two pieces of pocket linings. Place pocket

lining on the right side of the front piece pocket mouths matching. Sew

along pocket mouth(Picture 2), turn pocket lining to the wrong side of the

garment (Picture 3) and iron.

Edgestitch pocket mouth (Picture 4). Place pocket bag under pocket

lining raw edges matching. Sew and overlock the bottom edges of the

pockets (Picture 5a). Pin side (Picture 4b) and CF-edges (Picture 5c)of the pocket to the garment. These edges will be attached to garment

seams when sewn.








Place pocket bag piece under the pocket lining raw edges matching (Picture 3). Sew and overlock along the curvedouter edges. Pocket back piece is attached to side seam when sides are sewn. Use care not to catch the finished

edge of pocket mouth in the side seam.

Press the pocket toward the front of the garment and side seams toward the back. If you want to create a verydurable pocket mouth for this kind o a pocket, bartack both ends of the pocket opening.

Terminology used

Edgestitching

Edgestitching is used to finish the garment edges, such as edges of collars,

jacket lapels, shirt button plackets etc. Change a straight stitch for edgestitching

foot to your sewing machine and sew near the folded edge or seamline. Use 3-4mm stitch length. Long stitch length looks better than short. If you do not have an

edgestitch foot, use a zigzag foot and reset the needle so it is on the extremeright-hand side.

Topstitching

Topstitching is used to strengthening or embellishing garments details such as

pocket mouths, facings, princess seams etc..








HINT: If you want the topstitching to have a padded or quilted look, try sandwiching a layer of

flannel or fleece between the garment and the facing.

HINT : In some couture sewing books it is recommended that the top stitching is completed early

in the construction process i.e. before facings and linings are applied. In that way there is less bulk and fewer layers of fabric to control.

This is worth trying.

HINT: If you want to emphasize the lines of topstitching or edgestitching, sew with two threads in the needle or with twin-needle.

Understitching

Understitching is a single line of stitching to seam allowance close to the seam line

preventing facings and linings from rolling to the outside of a garment.

After having sewn the facing or the lining to your garment, grade and clip the seam

allowances with the garment's allowance wider than the facing's, then press theallowances to lie flat toward the lining or the facing. On the facing straight-stitch close to

the seamline through all thicknesses. Use your fingertips to feel along the seamline in front

of the presser foot to ensure that the seam allowances lie flat and to one side.

Understitching is good idea to be applied when sewing a window pane pocket openings.

Understitching the pocket facing makes the opening crisp and accurate.

Easestitching

Easestitching is used in seams where the edges to be joined are not equally long. This kind of a situation is e.g.

easing the sleeve cap to fit to the armscye. Sew easestitching with distance of seam allowance from the edge i.e.

along the seam line. Sew easestitching using the 4-5 mm stitch length i.e. long but not the longest possible. Younotice that the fabric is automatically eased as you sew. You can intensify the easing by tightening the strain of the

upper thread of the sewing machine.

Usually the waist band is somewhat shorter than the waist of the garment. Sew easestitching to the garment waistb f hi h i b d i S h i hi i h di f ll f h d i l








before attaching the waist band to it. Sew the easestitching with distance of seam allowance from the edge i.e. along

the seam line. If the garment has a lining, sew the easestitching through the garment and the lining.

Easestitching can also be used to join seams which curve to different directions e.g. the princess seams of the

bodice. Sew easestitching to one of the seams with distance of seam allowance from the edge. Place the pieces

together and sew along the easestitch.

Easestitching can also make it easier to attach a collar to the neck opening of the garment. Sew easestitching with

distance of seam allowance from the edge to the neck opening of the garment. Place the collar and the garmenttogether and sew along the easestitch.

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